Pekin Duck Club!

[Lacrystol]

I am raising 1 Pekin duckling by herself right now and I plan on making her a duck house outside where she can live but I still don't plan on getting more ducks. I have 6 hens but I'm afraid they might beat her up like they do to new chickens in their flock. I'm afraid once she's outside she will get really lonley and depressed. Does anyone else have just one chicken by themselves outside? How is it working?

I had a loner duck who was raised by a chicken. they stuck together like glue, once they went outside, still they stuck together, the duck would go swimming and the chick would stand in the water waiting for him to get done. They finally separated when it was time for both of them to become Adults. and when I say Adults i mean, MATING SEASON. Once the hormone kicked in, they parted there separate ways. LOL

 

[Lacrystol]

Ducks really don't do well by themselves, I would keep him with something even if it's a chicken for the time being..

 

[mamashamrock]

Hey guys I really could use some help!!!
My babies have internally pipped but they can't seem to break the shell... This is my first time... They were all fine this morning when I added water but I am having a really hard time with the humidity... I opened it to wet the sponges and I noticed dark spots on the egg... Sure enough it was too late... One of them died... I don't know how to help them externally pip and it's been over 24 hours since the internal pip!! Please help!!!

 

[CyndiD]

I'm confused with the pics.  The first set you can see the left foot curbing in, in the next set it looks like the right one curbs in.  I'm wondering if it's just they way she's using them.  Wonder if she just hasn't gotten the hang yet on how to use those big flabby feet yet.

Can you send another pic, this time, hold her, have her feet dangling down, do a front and back pic...

How is this? Do these help?

 

[Amiga]

Hey guys I really could use some help!!!
My babies have internally pipped but they can't seem to break the shell... This is my first time... They were all fine this morning when I added water but I am having a really hard time with the humidity... I opened it to wet the sponges and I noticed dark spots on the egg... Sure enough it was too late... One of them died... I don't know how to help them externally pip and it's been over 24 hours since the internal pip!! Please help!!!

@Orca5094
@Lacrystol
@learycow
@sumi

 

[sumi]

Candle the eggs and mark the air cell line with a non-toxic marker, such as a pencil. Then take a sharp object (I use a needle) and carefully score an X on the shell, above the air cell line, but close-ish to the duckling's beak (if you can see it when candling). Keep scoring over and over until you break through the shell, then carefully make the hole a bit bigger with a pair of tweezers.

 

[mamashamrock]

Candle the eggs and mark the air cell line with a non-toxic marker, such as a pencil. Then take a sharp object (I use a needle) and carefully score an X on the shell, above the air cell line, but close-ish to the duckling's beak (if you can see it when candling). Keep scoring over and over until you break through the shell, then carefully make the hole a bit bigger with a pair of tweezers.

I tried that method with 2 of them and the egg seems to be too hard... It cracked and now there is a hole the size of the end of my pinky... I am afraid the hole is too big... The other one had a tiny hole but now has its beak completely out of the hole which is now much larger than the one I created

 

[sumi]

You got to score very carefully, that's why I use a needle! Make sure the humidity in the incubator is high now, 65% or more, so they don't dry out. It's o.k. if the hole is biggish, as long as they can breathe in there and stay moist until they're done hatching.

 

[Relativelycluky]

This is Manny (Pekin) and Maggie (Magpie)

 

[Lacrystol]

How is this? Do these help?

Maybe it's the pic, but I'm not seeing any swelling? I does look like she's holding a toe funny. Show me what your seeing as far as swelling??